The foundation of item’s Machine Building Kit is the high quality T-6061 t-slotted extruded aluminum profiles. The expansive system of profiles are slow-extruded to a high straightness tolerance, enabling MB Kit Systems’ engineering team to build belt-driven linear actuators with travel distances beyond 100 feet.

All of item’s t-slotted extruded aluminum profiles have inclined groove flanks engineered into the profile designs. These inclined groove flanks ensure that connections and fasteners take advantage of the controlled elastic deformation, maximizing the strength of each connection.

The groove flank inclination is an often overlooked design feature of item’s extruded aluminum t-slotted profiles. However, it’s this design feature that ensures stable and anti-vibration connections when securing profiles, accessories, and all other components utilizing the t-slot groove.

item’s Machine Building Kit System includes more than 300 different variations of t-slotted extruded aluminum profiles, which all fall into five profile lines. These profile lines are referenced by a number corresponding to the t-slot groove dimension. This ranges from the light-duty Line 5 profiles up to item’s heaviest-duty profile, Line 12. Profile lines below have the maximum tensile loading strength of the groove.

Line 8 is the core profile line, with all Line 8 t-slotted extruded aluminum profiles consisting of an 8mm groove width. Line 8 profiles have the widest array of supportive components and accessories making Line 8 profiles suitable for most applications. Across Line 8 profiles, there are three classifications, referencing the inner makeup of the profiles.

Illustrated to the right are the three profile classifications consisting of the lightest duty economy profiles, increased rigidity with the light profiles, and full profile strength from the Standard Profiles. The majority of accessories and components will work with Line 8 profiles regardless of the profile’s internal design. However, only Standard Profiles are recommended for linear motion applications.

Line 8 t-slot extruded aluminum profiles consist of a wide variety of exterior dimensional profiles. The majority of Line 8 structural profiles are available with varying external dimensions, typically in 40mm increments (though with specialty sizes as well). Similarly, the lighter-duty Line 5’s structural profiles are available in increments of 20mm, with Line 6’s at 30mm, Line 10 at 50mm, and the heaviest-duty Line 12’s at 60mm as illustrated below:

Other popular t-slot extruded aluminum profiles include Line 6 and Line 10. Line 6 is both stronger than line 5, but is lightweight enough to be used for smaller assemblies including tables, racks, and frames. Line 10 is more commonly used heavy-duty aluminum profile than Line 12, because it takes up less space and has a wider range of accessories. With a max tensile loading weight at 7,000 Newtons with M10 screw connections, a machine frame can withstand heavier loads than the standard Line 8. T-slotted aluminum profiles in Line 12 are more resistant to pre-tension losses, have a high screw-tightening torque and higher load-carrying capacity.

Selecting the most appropriate t-slot extruded aluminum profiles and components can be a daunting task when browsing item’s catalog. MB Kit Systems makes it easy by offering no-cost design services from expert engineers. For more information, call 888-729-4500 or fill out our form here.